chemotherapy

US /ˌkiːməʊˈθɛɹəpi/ See IPA manual

Freq #17243

Meanings

1

noun
The treatment of cancer using strong chemicals or drugs.

She lost her hair during chemotherapy but is now fully recovered.
2

noun
The use of chemical drugs to treat or control a disease.

Doctors used chemotherapy to fight the infection.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms chemotherapies

Derived forms biochemotherapychemotherapeuticchronochemotherapyelectrochemotherapyimmunochemotherapymonochemotherapynonchemotherapyphotochemotherapypolychemotherapypostchemotherapyprechemotherapyradiochemotherapy

Etymology

From chemo- + therapy.

*ǵʰew- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Health & Medicine

External links

# chemotherapy

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌkiːməʊˈθɛɹəpi/
**Frequency rank:** 17243

## Meanings
1. The treatment of cancer using strong chemicals or drugs.
2. The use of chemical drugs to treat or control a disease.

## Examples
- She lost her hair during chemotherapy but is now fully recovered.
- Doctors used chemotherapy to fight the infection.

## Derived Forms
- biochemotherapy
- chemotherapeutic
- chronochemotherapy
- electrochemotherapy
- immunochemotherapy
- monochemotherapy
- nonchemotherapy
- photochemotherapy
- polychemotherapy
- postchemotherapy
- prechemotherapy
- radiochemotherapy

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *ǵʰew-

## Etymology
From chemo- + therapy.

## AI Etymology
chemotherapy is a noun. It is from chemo- + therapy. Historical forms in the chain include *ǵʰew- (Proto-Indo-European). Current senses include the treatment of cancer using strong chemicals or drugs and the use of chemical drugs to treat or control a disease. Derived forms include biochemotherapy, chemotherapeutic, chronochemotherapy, electrochemotherapy, and immunochemotherapy.

## Topics
- Health & Medicine

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